What is Internet Addiction?

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Technology is slowly becoming part off society’s daily activities. Once we wake up in the morning with the assistance from our alarm clocks, to the moment we turn off the lights to go to bed, we are regularly reminded that we are now living in a modern world. Technology is present everywhere we turn. One of the most important products of technology is the internet. The World Wide Web (www) is part of almost everyone’s everyday life. In addition to the uses of computers, we can use our hand held devices to access the internet as well. The ability to have unlimited access to the internet from anywhere at any time has become the cause of a serious addiction that affects about one in every eight Americans; this addiction is referred to as Internet Addiction.
Internet addiction is a compulsive behavioral disorder which affects the way a person lives their daily life (Weinstein and Lejoyeux). It causes severe tension on the addict’s family, friends, and work environment. This addiction is simply a behavioral disorder that entirely governs the addict’s whole life. Internet addicts make the Internet their one and only priority, and is slowly becoming a growing epidemic. Internet addiction was originally introduced as a disorder by Ivan Goldberg in 1995 (“Ivan Goldberg Discusses Internet Addiction”). It is still being researched and debated to see if it can be considered a psychological disorder.
The comparison of different types of addictions, help people better understand the severity of internet addiction. For example, an individual addicted to alcohol is addicted to their “drink of choice”; this drink of choice is everything to them. The addict and their alcohol has a bond that makes life easier. Addicts such as the one given in my ex...

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..., possibly causing cognitive impairment similar to that caused by gambling and alcoholism”(“Internet Overuse Could Cause Structural Brain Damage [STUDY]”). It has become very evident that the internet is detrimental to society’s wellbeing. The current generation possesses the most vulnerability when it comes to becoming addicted to the internet. Internet addiction is the easiest to fall victim to, and the hardest to pry away from. Everything revolves around the internet, which worsens things. Thus, everyone should use internet with great caution to prevent any addictive behavior. Some people might joke that they are addicted to their computer or a game they are playing, but there is a big difference between a productive and entertaining habit, and a real addiction. Internet addiction is a serious problem that can affect anybody connected to the internet in any way.

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